Title: A Love So True: part 4

Author: Evie

Disclaimer: All characters in this fic are owned by the WB and KW... NOT ME!

Category: PJ ROMANCE!!

Rating: PG

Summary: Joey finds out that AJ is a creep. It's up to Pacey to show her how much someone cares. But will she return his love?

Author's note: My fic for the CP Val Contest

"Do you want to go in and throw this stuff away?" Pacey asked Joey as they approached his truck.

"No. There's a trash can right there. I do not want to go back in there. Either Bessie or Bodie will try and talk our heads off."

"Okay. Be right back." Pacey dashed over to the pail and discarded the unwanted rubbish as quickly as humanly possible, wanting to get back to Joey.

The moment he entered the vehicle, Joey began to speak, "So lover man, where you takin' me next?"

"Well, I know this a little bit 'Leery', but when I was about 11 or 12 years old I spent a significant amount of time fantasizing about asking you out to the Sunday matinee. Then by some miracle you'd say 'yes', and then we'd share our first kiss in the balcony."

"You used to fantasize about that?" Joey questioned in disbelief.

"Well, yeah... I mean, you have to know how incredibly pretty you are, right? It's only natural for a guy to..."

"Wow... I would have never thought, Pacey." Joey looked at him, her eyes smiling. "So, the matinee huh?"

"Yeah, well it's not Sunday, but its the next best thing right?"

"Well, what are we waiting for? Times-a-wastin'!" Joey smiled widely.

"Yes ma'am." He mock saluted, just before revving up the engine, then driving down the road toward the Rialto.

Dawson watched in extreme irritation. 'How could they do this to me?!' "I thought they were my friends," he muttered to himself.

"Dawson!" Nikki called finally catching up to him. She had decided that she would follow him for a while, but she was not about to run after him and break an unnecessary sweat for such a ridiculous reason as spying on his supposedly two best friends and their obviously meant to be romantic date. "Dawson, what are you doing?"

"They left. They just drove off."

"Dawson come on. They are obviously out on a date. Why can't you just leave it alone?"

"Because Nikki. They lied to me. Pacey told me that he was going to be sleeping all weekend... and Joey... well, I didn't ask her, but she never told me she was going on a date on VALENTINE'S DAY... with... Pacey!"

"So what Dawson? You're not her father. She doesn't have to report everything to you."

"But... I just... I don't know... I know Pacey is a great person, and he's really matured lately..."

Nikki rolled her eyes, 'Dawson...talking about maturity... that's a laugh,' but she decided to leave that thought aside and focus on the moment at hand. "But..." she supplied, encouraging him to continue.

"But, I just don't think that he's right for Joey. I think that it's important for her to have him as a friend right now... I'm afraid that if romance gets in the middle of all of this, Joey will only end up getting hurt. Pacey's been known to do that to girls."

"He has?"

"Well, sort of... Well, not really, but... this is Joey were talking about here."

"Dawson, do you hear yourself?! You are beginning to falter over into the world of irrationale... and if you don't stop and take a deep breath right now, you might end up doing something you can't take back."

Dawson sighed. He knew Nikki was right, but he just couldn't wrap his brain around the fact that Joey and Pacey were dating... and happily it seemed. "You're right, Nikki. Why don't we just do this another time?" "Sure, Dawson. Let's go back to my car."

"Nah. I'd rather walk."

"Okay. See ya later, Dawson."

"Bye, Nikki."

8:26 PM

Joey rested lazily atop the warm soft blanket once again, this time protected from the sand rather than the cold hard wood of the dock. Languidly she ran her fingers through the cool sand beside her replaying the events of the most romantic day of her life... and still it wasn't over! After the movie, which included more making out than actual movie watching, they'd just walked hand in hand around town, visiting familiar shops, stopping to share a hot beverage or two. Then climbing back into the car they took a short scenic drive through The Cape, finding the cutest little restaurant to have an early dinner in. By that time they had been starving, but Joey could have sworn that next to Bodie's cooking, the food at the tiny cove side establishment was the best she'd ever tasted.

They had lingered over their meal until about half past seven, when the two decided it would be nice if they headed back to their own neck of the woods and maybe just lay out on the beach relax and take in the surf. Which was exactly what they were doing now. Pacey was not too far away, attempting to build a decent fire in hopes of keeping them from freezing to death. But there weren't many places, outside of renting a seedy motel room, where they could be alone AND inside... at least not at the moment.

"Finally!" Pacey declared. "Too bad we couldn't get Mrs. Ryan out here. She'd have had it blazin' in a second."

Joey laughed at the memory of Jen's grandmother showing all the men up that night at the B & B.

Pacey laid down next to her, shoulders touching side by side, gazing up at the sky. "Sure is beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah..." They continued to stare up at the wondrous night sky, stars twinkling above. Then Pacey recalled the night of his play... Joey had go off on a date with that AJ creep. He wasn't angry with her about that, but it still hurt a little.

Joey ironically had been thinking about that night too. Only she was marveling in the fact that watching the stars in silence with Pacey was so much more romantic, so much more soothing than it had been with AJ. There was no talk of explanation or fact, just living and breathing in the moment together.

Pacey shifted his weight to his side. Perching himself up on his elbow, he rested his face on the fist of his hand, and looked at her for a few moments. Wondering what on God's green earth he had done to deserve a moment like this. 'When the hell did I get this lucky? Who knows. Just shut up and enjoy it, man.' He placed his cool fingers along her neck, bringing them softly to the base of her up turned chin. He noticed her shiver, then close her eyes at the contact. "Mmm... you're fingers are cold, Pacey," she smiled dreamily.

"Sorry..." he whispered, taking them away slowly.

"I didn't say move them." She opened her eyes, grabbing his fingers and squeezing them tightly, attempting to make them warm... It worked. She then brought his hand to lay flat on her belly. Pacey smiled gently down at her.

"You're so beautiful, Joey."

"Is this the part where we get kinky?" She half teased.

"Maybe..." His voice low and husky. Closing her hand around the back of his neck she crushed his lips to her own and commenced what was the longest most passionate kiss of her young life. Breaking away reluctantly, Pacey lowered his forehead atop of her own. Taking her face between his now fully warmed hands, he placed soft tiny kisses on her cheeks, temples, nose and eyelids. The love he felt swelling inside of his body was so unimaginable, he could hardly breathe. "Joey..." he breathed before assaulting her lips once more, trying to convey the depth of what he felt for her through his actions. Then a thought came to his mind. A thought that pulled him abruptly away from her... well her lips at least. Still cradling her body close to his own, he looked down into her sweet face.

"What is it, Pacey?" She looked more than worried at the sudden deference of his advances.

"Joey... I don't ... I mean... this doesn't need to go any farther than what it is right now. Do you know what I mean?"

Joey eyed him suspiciously. This was Pacey she was looking at wasn't it? The sex fiend. She was sure that was where his brain..among other things, was headed... She had still been debating on whether or not to say yes or no, when he'd pulled back from her. And if it had been any other guy.. with any other look on their face she might have been angry. But she could see all the love... and respect he felt from her etched into his face. And she couldn't help but feel any thing but relieved.

"I love you, Pacey." She rose up to kiss his cheek, now one of her favorite things to do. It seemed to convey so much of the affection she felt for him in the simplest of gestures.

"R